18 months

Social and emotional

• “Reads” board books on their own

• Hands things to others

Language/Communication

• Strings words together in phrases eg. “up mama”

• Points to things to indicate their wants

• Follows 1-step instructions eg. “pick up the book”

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

• Brushes teeth with help

• Scribbles

• Plays pretend games eg. feeds a doll

• Can drink from a cup and eat with a spoon

Physical

• Walks alone

• Starting to run

Be concerned if your child:

• Doesn’t point to show things to others

• Can’t walk

• Doesn’t know what familiar things are for

• Doesn’t copy others

• Says less than 5 words and doesn’t gain new words

• Doesn’t notice or mind when a caregiver leaves or returns

• Loses skills they once had

2 years

Social and emotional

• Takes more of an interest in playing with other children

• Talks about themselves – likes and dislikes

• Begins to show defiance and may tantrum – the ‘terrible twos’ are in fact a milestone!

Language/Communication

• Can use 50 single words

• Can make 2-3 word sentences eg. ‘want milk mummy’

• Follows 2-step instructions eg. ‘pick up the book and put it on the shelf’

Cognitive

• Can name some familiar things

• Can sing simple tunes eg. ‘twinkle twinkle’

• Build a tower of 4 blocks or more

• Can identify several body parts

• Might be ready for toilet training

• May use one hand more than the other

Physical

• Stands on tip-toe

• Can throw a ball

• Can kick a ball

• Can walk downstairs, climb up & down furniture

Be concerned if your child:

• Doesn’t use 2-word sentences eg. ‘want milk’

• Doesn’t know what to do with common things, like a brush, phone, fork, spoon

• Doesn’t copy actions and words

• Doesn’t follow simple instructions

• Doesn’t walk steadily

• Loses skills they once had

3 years

Social and Emotional

• Copies adults and friends

• Shows affection for friends

• Takes turns and can share

• Understands the idea of ownership – mine, his, hers

• Shows a wide range of emotions including concern for crying friend

• Dresses and undresses self

Language/Communication

• Follows 2 or 3-step instructions

• Understands words like ‘in’, ‘on’ and ‘under’

• Can say first name, age, and gender

• Names a friend

• Says words like ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘we’ and ‘you and some plurals eg. cars, dogs, cats

• Talks well enough for strangers to understand most of the time

• Uses 4-5 word sentences and can speak using 2-3 sentences

Cognitive

• Can work toys with buttons, levers, and moving parts

• Plays pretend games with dolls, animals, and people

• Does puzzles with 3 or 4 pieces

• Can draw a circle

• Turns book pages one at a time

• Builds towers of more than 6 blocks

• Screws and unscrews jar lids or turns door handle

• Ready for toilet training

Physical

• Climbs well

• Runs easily

• Pedals a tricycle

• Walks up and down stairs

• Jumps

Be concerned if your child:

• Falls down a lot or has trouble with stairs

• Drools or has very unclear speech

• Can’t work simple toys eg. simple puzzles, turning handle

• Doesn’t speak in sentences

• Doesn’t understand simple instructions

• Doesn’t play pretend games

• Doesn’t want to play with other children or with toys

• Doesn’t make eye contact

• Loses skills they once had

NOTE: If you have any concerns about your child’s development, speak with your doctor. A delay in one or more areas may indicate problems such as language delay, developmental delay, intellectual delay, and Autistic spectrum disorder. The earlier a problem is detected, the earlier your child can get the appropriate help they need. More information on childhood development can be found at raisingchildren.net.au